Jarrus, The Dark Magician
by CharmedPluto
Summary: Jarrus is a Dark Magician with one job: protect the Pharaoh from all threats. But after a strange encounter in the markets of Cairo, it becomes clear he'll have to do more than just protect Atem, the Pharaoh must learn to use the magics of his people and put a stop to Zorc Necrophades. Guess who his teacher will be...


**Jarrus, The Dark Magician: Ch 1**

** The following texts were found in a tomb three hundred meters east of the tomb of King Atem I. They have been translated by Solomon Muto and converted to casual text by Yugi Moto, Maximilian Pegasus Marik Ishtar and Seto Kaiba. The texts are thought to be just a fairy tale, but the casual translators seem to disagree.**

So I bet you, people of the future after this kingdom of mighty Egypt, think your lives strange. I'd wager I've seen stranger things. You're probably reading these hieroglyphs and wondering what I mean or where my Ethos comes from. Why listen to some random dead man from Egypt? I'll tell you why you should listen to me. My name is Jarrus of Cairo. I'm a...magician of sorts. Now I bet you're probably reading this and think to yourself that there's no such thing. I and my comrades in arms would beg to differ...significantly. If you think your everyday lives are strange then mine would be considered tantamount to Insanity meeting War and having a child called Chaos that only spawns more Insanity and War. If my Ethos still hasn't become relevant then let me add that I was once one of the Pharaoh's personal guards. What was supposed to be a huge and grand ceremony one day, here in our proud capital city of Egypt, turned into gods know how long of complete and total hell. I was with the Pharaoh, preparing to escort him home from a day in the market. Why would he go to such a place? That's beyond my knowledge; even as the all-powerful wizard that I was. The Pharaoh was always under watch of someone. And Ra would have it that today was the day I had to watch him. Have any of you reading this ever tried keeping track of an eleven year old child that's more valuable than all of the gold in the world with no real sense of...well...a need for protection? The job becomes...difficult. A lot of people were bowing in the streets as we walked as was customary and that kind of thing always put me on edge, for some reason. I always figured that one day there would be that one man or woman that wouldn't bow and try something to harm the Pharaoh. Young Atem was a very spirited boy in his credit but sometimes that boy got into trouble...

So there we are walking around in the market district, and Atem is motioning people to rise and go about their business, which I found odd, his father never did that. I think to myself, I hope that his kindness doesn't overrule his ability to lead, as my mentor had told me, too much of anything is a bad thing. The people stood making a huge crowd of what were once people bowing to someone they thought was immortal and was just waiting to return to the after life. I brought my staff closer to bear, focusing on the clacking of my armor more than anything and trying to keep my eye on little Atem. He approached one stand and asked to see one of the puzzles that the merchant possessed. The man didn't deny him. I highly doubted he'd let anyone not see the item if he could've possibly sold it, Pharaoh or not. Atem opened the box and took a look at some of the pieces while I waited, making sure no one tried anything. Call me paranoid about the boy's safety but it was my job today after all, and I knew plenty of the Pharaoh's enemies. I saw a lot of commoners, but no one that could've posed a threat unless they suddenly became one of Zorc's minions out of the blue (Orginal text: "out of Ra's blue skies," Noted by Marik Ishtar). I turned my attention to the roof tops where I saw someone that was carrying a huge broad sword (Original text: "A claymore of the finest iron shining like silver and matching his height." Noted by Seto Kaiba). He was clad in blue robes with an iron helm painted silver, his blond hair covered part of his face. The parts I could see were striped red with face paint, his skin was a whiter color than normal which struck me as odd. I gripped my staff tighter, praying to Osiris that he was no threat.

The swordsman must've seen me and smirked before leaping down to the market from his rooftop. People scattered like insects.

"Are you the Pharaoh's guard?" he asked.

I took a stance as Atem turned around, "What if I am?"

The swordsman's smirk remained, "I was hoping you could assist me in find little Atem."

I glared at him, "What do you want?"

He started towards us but didn't draw his weapon like I figured he would if he'd wished harm on the Pharaoh. Nevertheless my guard didn't drop.

"What do you want, peasant?" Atem snapped.

That was the first time I'd ever heard the Pharaoh use his title, he very seldom did.

"Your highness," he said, "My name is Jacob, I've been searching for the new Pharaoh for months now."

"State your business sir, or leave." I demanded.

"Don't get your pants in a twist, mage, I mean the pharaoh no harm," (This is in fact the original text as noted by Yugi Moto who commented on it as strange.)

Atem looked up to the man called Jacob who reached into his cloak. I started to charge a Dark Magic Blast but dispelled it what he drew out a box from his jacket.

"On behalf of my clan in the north, we present you this gift, may your kingdom prosper."

Atem opened the box, and inside was an elaborate bracelet made of gold, with a strange emblem on it. It closely resemble the man himself except the sword was drawn and poised for battle.

"Cool," said Atem.

"Should you ever need assistance from the northern swordsman or magicians, just chant the words on the underside and we will come, less Osiris banish us to the Underworld for all of eternity."

I withdrew my staff, holding it against me as he stood and turned to face me.

"I will hold you to your word, knight." I warned him.

"A Silent One's word is always golden." he told me, "May fortune go with you," (Noted concerning the phrase "Silence is Golden" by Maximilian Pegasus.)

Jacob left us after that.

Atem was stuck staring at the bracelet as The Silent Swordsman called Jacob continued on his way through the streets of Cairo as I watched him go. Normally the North Warriors took a vow of silence in order to focus solely on perfecting their trades, when one broke the vow, it only could've meant one thing: that swordsman had fully mastered his trade. I arced a brow at my own thought, it was either that or he'd been banished. My thoughts were going crazy (Original text involves multiple theories on why Jacob spoke when he should've been silent. Noted by Marik Ishtar.)

My theories were interrupted when I heard a scream from a house nearby. I stepped between the Pharaoh and readied for something to happen. There was a hush that fell all around us. I gritted my teeth, something was definitely wrong. The house's front door suddenly burst open in a blaze of fire. I motioned Atem down as a demon of blue flames appeared in the doorway, holding a man by his shirt collar.

"WHERE IS THE PHARAOH!" It demanded

"I don't know, please don't hurt me!" the man shouted.

I rushed in and slammed my staff against its back, causing it to drop the man. The demon whipped around swinging. The heat was so intense I felt as though I was being roasted for a feast. My vision went hazy for a moment as I stumbled back. The demon rose from his crouch my strike had previously forced him into.

"Ah...A Dark Magician." it said slyly and approached, scorching the desert sand into glass as it did, "Perhaps you can tell me where Atem the First is."

"Like hell!" I spat (Original text: "Osiris can banish me to the Underworld first!" Noted by Seto Kaiba)

"A pity then, Zorc could use a powerful magician such as yourself."

It lashed out at me, but I erected a shield catching the attack and deflecting it away from Atem and myself. The demon tried striking my but I ducked underneath the fist of flames and jammed my staff into its exposed abdomen. I then grunted, casting a dark blast, which blew a hole the size of a man's head through it. The demon staggered backwards collapsed.

"You fool," it said in its dying breath, "Zorc will return. We will kill the Pharaoh and rule this pathetic world.

I approached, a Dark Lightning bolt flaring from the end of my staff, "Maybe one day Zorc will rise to meet his judgment,"

I then pointed the staff at the beasts head, "But that day is not today,"

The bolt flared up like fire as I launched it through the demons head. It died instantly and began to dissipate into black ash before the wind picked up and blew it away with the sands.

"Jarrus, what was that thing?" Atem asked.

"That," I replied, "was an Flamvell Fiend, a powerful demon from the pits of the Underworld, called by Zorc to kill you as it would appear."

"Who's Zorc?"

"I'd previously thought him only a child's fairytale but Zorc is supposed to be a demon of incredible power that was sealed away by the Gods eons ago. He created the Shadow Realm, which is a void between the world of the living and the dead."

I've never had to entertain a Pharaoh before, but seeing Atem's eyes light up they did gave me a good feeling, like one day for my children I'd make a great story teller.

"But you need not to worry about Zorc, he's sealed away, and he's never coming back." I finished.

I'm not sure the young lord believed me in the slightest though I myself felt hollowness in my own words. It was like that feeling you got when you lied to someone. (Original text: "Twas tantamount to the lie that can kill a man" Noted by Maximilian Pegasus) A feeling arose in me at that moment, and I realized that maybe that demon was correct about Zorc rising again. Though I personally figured that with the Gods on our side, it wouldn't matter how many demons that demon brings to our world, the Gods will simply smite them like they were nothing. In all truth, I had no idea how wrong I would be.

"Come Pharaoh," I said, "It's time we got back to the Palace."

"Okay..." he sounded as though he were disappointed.

"Is something the matter my lord?"

Atem was staring at where the Flamvell Fiend was not a moment ago, "You said Zorc would try to kill me if he revive."

"Yes, I did,"

"You're big and strong, right Jarrus? You'll protect me won't you?"

I smiled at the boy, "On my honor as a Dark Magician and my very existence, I shall protect you with my life."

Atem smiled and turned, "So back to the Palace then?"

I nodded and the two of us headed back towards the Palace together. It was nice to have the Pharaoh as a kind caring child that saw himself as an equal more time than a superior. His reign would be one of the best reigns any Egyptian would ever see, even going so far as to defeat Alexander the Great of Macedonia. Though it didn't help the Macedonian King that we had all of our Magic to assist in our war against him. Upon arriving at the Palace, the Pharaoh and I parted ways, I returned to Endymion's Citadel and he to the throne room where his mother would be waiting for him, and probably wonder where he received the bracelet he was now wearing.


End file.
